Electric connector member and method of making the same



' Nov. 13, 1956 H. w. BATCHELLER ELECTRIC CONNECTOR MEMBER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 3, 1954 3, @w/5%' by *nh 3u M1 www l United States Patent O ELECTRIC CONNECTOR MEMBER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Hugh W. Batcheller, Newton, Mass., assignor to Kent Billig. Corp., Newton, Mass., a corporation of Massac usetts Application September 3, 1954, Serial No. 453,980

4 Claims. (Cl. 339-258) This invention relates to an electric connector member of the type -consisting essentially of a shallow channel adapted to receive a complemental member which may be a plane metal tongue, and to an improved method of making connector members of this type.

A connector member of the type mentioned is illustrated in my Patent No. 2,600,190, granted June l0, 1952. The member therein shown is made by a method which includes cutting two parallel slots in the floor of the channel and cold-forging the strip of metal between the slots so as to arch it upward and to widen the central part. Most of the connector members of this type which are kcurrently being manufactured are small, having an overall width of or so. This means that the slots, as well as the dies that cut them, must be narrow. AS a result, it has been found that such dies do not stand up well in use, but are apt to wear or break before they have been in service long enough to be economical. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector member which can be made by tools which are more rugged than such dies and which will give satisfactory service for much longer periods.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing, of which- Figure 1 is a plan view of an improved connector member in a partially completed state;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the finished member;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is an elevation of an assembled connector, portions being broken away to show in section;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a moditied form of connector member;

Figure 7 is an elevation of an assembled connector including a member similar to that shown in Figure 6, portions being broken away to show in section; and

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Figure 7.

The connector member 10 shown in Figures 2 and 5 is made from a suitable blank of sheet brass or the like which is bent to form a shallow channel having a oor 12, upstanding side walls 14 and overhanging flanges 16 Y ward from the plane of the floor as indicated in Figure 3.

The band 20 is then cold-forged to bend it transversely as well as longitudinally, so that it is arched as indicated at 21 in Figures 4 and 5. The transverse arching for nearly its entire length reduces its overall width and draws the side edges of the band away from the opposing edges of the body of the floor, leaving substantial clearances 22 so that there is no interengagernent of opposing edges to interfere with free flexing of the band 20. In the forging operation a small central boss 24 may be formed on the band 2l) to enter a hole or recess 26 in the connector member 28 when the latter is assembled with the member 10 to make an electrical connection.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. A blank with two parallel shear cuts is made as in Figure l. The resulting central band 2t) is then cold-forged to arch it transversely to be concave upward as shown at 30 in Figure 8, the side margins of the band 20 being forced up above the level of the oor l2. This draws the side edges of the band away from the opposite edges of the oor, leaving ample clearances 32. When a complemental connector member 28 is assembled with the member described, it is pinched between the overhanging flanges 16 and the upwardly arched edges 32 of the central band.

l claim:

l. An electric connector member of the type comprising a shallow channel with a iioor, side walls and overhanging flanges on said walls, said floor having two parallel cuts defining a central band, said band being transversely bent for substantially its entire length.

2. An electric connector member as in claim l, said central band being transversely arched for substantially its entire length with its edges substantially spaced from the oor edges formed by said cuts.

3. An electric connector member as in claim 1, said band being transversely bent to be concave upward, the side margins of said band being above the level of said floor.

4. A method of making an electric connector member, which comprises making two parallel shear slits in the oor of a sheet metal blank, and cold forging the band between the slits to bend the same transversely throughout nearly all of its length whereby the cut edges of said band are drawn away from the opposing cut edges of the floor.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,600,190 Batcheller June 10, 1952 

